Musikmesse: Klangwabe

http://www.klangwabe.de

Mystery synth from this post solved.

via swissdoc

Musikmesse: The Musikmesse via Sonic State

MESSE09: Doepfer Dark Energy

Be sure to see Sonic State's Musikmesse coverage for more.
A TON of stuff went up. The videos here are just a small excerpt.

MESSE09: Novation's New Remote SL MKII

See the write-up on this one.

MESSE09: EOWave's Persephone Mark II


MESSE09: Akai's MPD18

ROCK SCHOOL - Series 2 - Episode 3 (part 1 of 3)

YouTube via tomstimemachine. sent my way via khoral

"Taking over from where the first series left off, the second set of ROCKSCHOOL television programs focuses its attention on new technology and its implications for the musicians of the day.

Synthesisers, samplers, sequencers and drum machines are all covered, as are electronic drum systems, computer hardware and software (remember this is 1987 - so this is for retro-heads only) and synthesisers for guitar and bass. There are also tips on how to make the most of the human voice, and on songwriting and arrangement.

This series was shown on TV in the UK during 1987.

EPISODE THREE

EIGHTIES SYNTHPOP
CLIP OF THE YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA IN 1979, CLIP OF BRONSKI BEAT.

SO ! - HOW DO YOU MAKE UP THESE SINGLE NOTE MELODIES ?
MAJOR AND MINOR SCALES, TRIADS, CHORDS, CHORD INVERSIONS AND TWO-HANDED KEYBOARD PLAYING.

THE VOCALS
CLIP FROM JAMES BROWN, MIDGE URE ON VOCAL TECHNIQUE AND GRAHAM BONNETT ON LOOKING AFTER YOUR VOICE, CLIP FROM EURYTHMICS."

CLICK FOR MORE »

dorkbot chicago and wheresthepartyat - new DIY Kit

via brian c
"went to dorkbot chicago tonight... ..had a blast

after a hiatus dorkbot is re-forming and meeting the last thursday of every month

tonight's presenter was todd bailey presenting his variable bit sampler called wheresthepartyat

it will soon be a kit for sale like the x0xb0x

it is a midi controllable sampler sort of like a casio sk1 engine on steroids

todd demoed it and talked about the several generations the design went thru and the design decisions along the way

totally nerdy...totally fun

see better pics [and a ton of more info] at todd's site

more on dorkbot chicago at
http://www.enemysound.com/2009/03/dorkbot-chicago-returns.html

i'm gonna do a presentation some night on digital versus analog distortion with my new metasonix assblaster and agonizer compared to a an alesis bitrman and frostwave sonic alienator

and for more on dorkbot global see http://dorkbot.org/

that's a cool organization

peace
brian"
some more images via
Where's the Party At
8-bit Bendable Sampler

CLICK FOR MORE »

More Info on the Moogseum

A couple of new posts on the upcoming Moogseum are up on the Bob Moog Foundation blog.

Direct links and excerpt for the archives:
The Moogseum
Creating the “Mini-Moogseum”

"It will serve as a educational, historical and cultural resource to Western North Carolina and the worldwide electronic music community through the following exhibits and facilities:

* An interactive timeline of the life and work of Bob Moog and the many people with whom he collaborated
* An archival center where rare documents, including project notes, articles, photos and schematics from Bob Moog’s archives, can be viewed on an interactive LED screen
* Several interactive instrument-based exhibits that will allow people the ability to experience the science behind the sound of electfonic music. We envision bays of Theremins hooked up to Moogerfoogers and rows of synthesizers hooked up to oscilloscopes filling our interactive area. A modular synthesis wall is planned as well.
* A Young Inventors Lab where children will be inspired to explore electronic music and create their own prototype through our Youth Outreach programs, afterschool workshops and summer camps.
* A rotating exhibit space which highlights new innovations in musical instrument interface as well as shared exhibits from other museums.
* A 200 seat performance space that will host concerts, lectures, festivals and sound exhibits"

parts

flickr by Freel¥

full size

PAiA Fatman

Vermona Perfourmer

via cl516 where you'll find more images and audio.

Note cl515 is a new blog with original synth content. Be sure to check out the rest of the site for more.

Voyager on Voyager

via cl516 where you'll find more.

Kawai SX-210

via this auction

"General Description :
The Kawai SX-210 (also manufactured under the brand name of Teisco) is probably one of the most underrated analog synths ever. Being a true analog machine and holding a set of features which many other single oscillator synths are missing, it is still a mystery why such a great instrument like the SX-210 has never been through the popularity of other equivalent synths like the Juno 60/106 and Polysix for example. Still it is quite rare as not many have been made.

The Kawai/Teisco SX-210 is basically an 8 voice single DCO synth based on the SSM2044 filter chips. It is generally very stable (as you might expect from it, being a DCO synth). The overall sound is very warm, yet not as fat as either the Junos or the poly Korgs.

On the other hand, it does feature an envelope for its filters, which you won't find on "basic" synths like the Juno 60/106. And it sounds like nothing else actually. I was able to nail that VCS3 "Welcome to the Machine" leads quite easily !

The SX-210 is also one of the first to feature an alpha dial, but not like most alpha dial based synths, you won't find any cumbersome menus to hate to deal with ;)

Instead, there is a switch for every function, and a small indicator to present the value for the switch selected. This is a great approach to implement, as you are still able to check into every parameter of a particular preset and read its current value !

The SX-210 is also 8 voice polyphonic, and can be used at 8 single voice, 4 dual voice and 1 eight voice configurations, which means you can stack all 8 oscillators into a one fat lead sound or a mega power chord lead ! Can you do that with your Juno ?! ;)

The LFO can oscillate the DCO section, VCF and VCA, all at the same time ! (use a Polysix and you'll have to decide which of the section you'd like to modulateן¿½ no simultaneous LFO action !) It is quite versatile and features a Reverse mode and 3 different waveforms plus a Trigger, as well as an LFO Delay and a Bender. Quite impressive for a single DCO synth, huh ?!

The single DCO section can do PW, PWM, SAW and Sub, and noise as well (non for the Polysixן¿½) The SX-210 also has a built in stereo Ensemble effect which is very rich sounding and will "widen up" just about any pad or a string preset very nicely, but I must admit it is not as warm as our well known Polysix Ensemble effect, and generally, far from being versatile as the Chorus/Phaser/Ensample Polysix section. The instrument could do wonders has it had the Polysix effect board ;)

Using the VCF modulation section (KCV / LFO / EG) it is possible to create some really interesting sounds. My SX-210 had two bad 4066 chips at the same place on two different voices, making the EG section going bad, only a few months separating between each incident. So this is where you should first look at when you're starting to experience strange EG behavior !"

Note: see this post for a rare one with extra buttons under the keys.

Kawai K5000s

via this auction

"The K5000 was Kawai's top of the line music workstation digital synthesizer when it was released back in 1996. It's a bold and elegantly designed synth with a large LCD display, realtime controls and incredible sounds! The look and functionality is rivals the competition from the time...the Korg Trinity and Kurzweil K2500.
Programming sounds with the K5000 can be a breeze (once you learn how) although it has over 1,000 parameters per patch! That's plenty to play with. It combines additive synthesis and PCM sampled waveforms for you to layer and combine to design a whole range of sounds. Plenty of LFO modulation, filters and envelope controls allow you to shape and morph your sounds further. On-board multi-effects add the final touch of life to your sounds.
Once you've created some sounds, there's the on-board sequencer (K5000W only) for creating songs or loading Standard Midi File sequences (via disk-drive). It has a 40,000 note capacity and 40 tracks. Real-time record and step-edit modes are available and the sequencer is pretty straight forward.
The K5000S (this auction item) adds 12 dedicated knobs for hands-on control of filter, LFO and envelope parameters. There are 4 user-definable knobs and 2 assignable switches. The K5000S also has a 40-pattern arpeggiator on-board with 8 user-definable patterns too!

Features
# Polyphony - 32 voices
# Oscillators - Digital Additive Synthesis plus PCM samples; Harmonics: 64 per source; Waveforms: 689 (123 synth, 341 GM, 225 drums)
# Effects - 4 effects algorithms with 32 different effects
# Filter - 128-band formant filter, 24dB/oct low-pass and high-pass
# LFO - 2 (one for formant filter, one can be freely routed to other destinations)
# VCA - 1 ASDR per part, with key scale and velocity
# Sequencer/Arpeg - Sequencer: 40 tracks, 40,000 note capacity
# Arpeggiator: 40 patterns, 8 user
# Keyboard - 61 Keys with velocity and aftertouch
# Memory - 200 patches, 64 performances"

KORG M500 micro-preset

via this auction

"M500 is a single oscillator preset monophonic analog synthesizer with some basic sound editing parameters including the famous Korg Traveler Filter. The circuitry includes two of the same filter chips as used in the Korg MS series (MS-10, MS-20, etc) so it sounds quite good."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Electro Harmonix Electronic Crash Drum

via this auction

"Knobs for Sweep Start, Sweep Stop, Sweep Time, Decay Time & Resonance. Back has On/Switch with Power light, External Trigger Input, Aux In, Output and Sens Hi Switch"

KORG ES-50 LAMBDA

via this auction
"This is an excellent sounding 3 oscillator string, brass, piano and organ synth. Each of the two oscillators can be de-tuned against the master osc for a very rich sound. In addition, vibrato, tremolo and chorus can be added and in stereo it sounds really nice. It is surprisingly good sounding and versatile, yet under-rated keyboard."

Wexler ROCKMATE Vintage Analog Drum Synthesizer

via this auction
"It is a "Rockmate", distributed by David Wexler & Co. of Chicago, IL, and manufactured in Japan... There is a central knob for selecting pitch (A, B, C, D, E or F), a tempo control to the left, and a SW-VOL knob to the right. At far right, there's a START/STOP button and a "SOLO" button. Apparently the latter has three settings, it shows quarter notes, eighth notes and sixteenth notes. On top, there are two inputs (START-STOP and SOLO) and one audio output (AMP-SW), all are 1/4" standard jack. There's also a port for an AC adapter; however it appears to run on a 9-volt battery as well... Measures 7.5" x 7.5", by 1-1/4" deep (excluding the rubber feet), it is housed in a bright red enameled-steel case and is quite heavy for its size. The face is gold-toned brushed aluminum." Anyone know more about this one? BTW, click on the multi-shot for a larger image.

Update via the world of next tuesday in the comments: "Never saw a Wexler before. It's a rebadged Keio Donca Matic Rock Mate, which I think is fair to say is the first portable drum machine, 1966. Keio Guutsu Kenkyujo became Korg based on Keio Organs later. I've seen a West German(?) rebadged version called a Checkmate too. Oddly the Europeans re-oriented the unit 90 degrees from the Keio and the similar Wexler. So the knobs are on the right rather than top, but is the same hardware as far as I can tell."

Minimoog with Big Briar MIDI and Separate Keyboard

via this auction
"Description: This early 1970s, vintage synth is rather unique, in that it has been outfitted w/ a MIDI interface, at the Moog factory and under the direct supervision of Bob Moog only a few years ago. At the same time, the latest, rock-stable oscillator cards were installed and the instrument is in PERFECT working condition. None of the keys stick, and all of the pots and switches work as well as the day I bought it. I am the original and sole owner. The keyboard was split from the body, again at the Moog factory circa 1974 and under the supervision of Bob Moog. Because the instrument was only a year or two off the production line at that point, and the factory was still creating these instruments for market, the wooden framing that the factory carpenters custom made after the split "surgery" was complete match the rest of the body just perfectly. The two halves are connected by a twenty foot, pliable snake, with “Jones Plug” connectors on each end. Unusual, now, but these were relatively common connectors of that period – and they work perfectly. Why the split? In the mid 70s, I heard and saw The Mahavishnu Orchestra perform on many occasions, and the keyboard player, Jan Hammer, wore a split Mini Moog keyboard around his neck and played it in guitar-like fashion. A “first” at the time, and I had to have it done, by the same technicians, at the same factory, and under Bob Moog’s personal supervision. The lugs for a guitar strap remain on the keyboard box to this day.

I had the pleasure of both meeting and performing for Bob on multiple occasions, as I had been asked to join the Moog touring electronic music ensemble in the mid 70s by the then Moog V.P. of Marketing, Herb Deutsch. He is the man who co-invented the instrument in the summer of 1964 with Bob, and who was/is, an excellent snyth player as well.

The ensemble performed periodically for the next couple of years, so as a “road instrument,” it sustained multiple “car-door dings” if you will, but all of these were finished-over by a professional paint/stain restoration artist, and are now nearly imperceptible."

Roland SH-5

via this auction

Electrocomp EML 500 analogue synthesizer

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

The OG Keytar

The ultimate keytar, unfortunately it's not a synth, but... I'll make the exception for this most awesome axe.

Sent my way via dalas via soxiam

Harpsichord Keytar

fredd minimoog MVI 8257

YouTube via AnalogSweden

midi triwave keyboard

YouTube via 4mspedals
"MIDI Triwave controlled by keyboard. All audio comes direct from Triwave Picogenerator from 4mspedals.com"

Ableton Live 8 Released

"New in Ableton Live 8
Version 8 enhances the Ableton vision of creative, real-time digital music with a wealth of new techniques, effects and most-wanted workflow improvements.

New groove engine
Groove patterns can add life and swing to straight sequences. Live 8's new groove engine lets you apply groove patterns in real time, extract grooves from audio or MIDI sources, quantize audio and MIDI in real time. It also comes with a new groove library.

New warping engine
Live 8 introduces a new, more direct way of working with warping and some important Warp Mode enhancements. You can now warp audio events by adjusting the events themselves on the timeline. Beats Mode has been updated, and there's a completely new Complex Warp Mode. Plus you can slice audio files to MIDI tracks based on transients.

Looper
A much-requested feature, the Ableton Looper effect gives you classic sound-on-sound looping without the limitations of a hardware device. Looper is set up for remote operation, so you can record, overdub, undo and more without touching the computer.

New effects
Live 8 includes five powerful new effects: Vocoder, Multiband Dynamics, Overdrive, Limiter and Frequency Shifter. These effects cover all the well-known aspects of these devices, but really shine due to some innovative features and enhancements from the Ableton labs.

Workflow enhancements
Version 8 makes Live easier with a number of most-wanted enhancements and some deceptively simple detail work including real-time crossfades in the Arrangement View, enhanced MIDI editing, group tracks, a screen magnifier and more.

New in Ableton Suite 8
Ableton Suite 8 is a package which gives you a rich world of sound, perfectly complementing the tools and features in Live 8. Suite 8 provides all the instruments a musician could hope for, including a wide range of synths, a powerful sampler, electric and acoustic drums, mallets, numerous sampled instruments: 10 instruments in all. Here's what's new in Suite 8.

World-class library
Ableton Suite 8's library completely surpasses everything that Ableton has ever offered before. With the creative professional in mind, Ableton has put together a well-balanced and comprehensive tool set and, above all, a wide-ranging set of beautiful sounds.

Collision
Collision is a unique instrument for authentic mallet sounds and creative percussion. Co-developed with AAS, it uses physical modeling technology to reproduce real-world instruments such as xylophones, marimbas and glockenspiels, but also provides enough depth to create truly dramatic new instruments and sounds.

Latin Percussion
Latin Percussion is a collection of acoustic percussion instruments such as congas, bongos, timbales, claves, shakers, tambourines and bells from the worlds of Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and African music. It also comes with clips and grooves, so you don't only get the drums, you also get the drummer.

More Operator, more power
Operator, Ableton's renowned do-it-all synthesizer, has been given a major overhaul. We opened up the hood, took a long hard look inside and did some serious hot-rod stuff. New filter types, more modulation routing options and additive wavetable synthesis with drawable partials make Operator more powerful and flexible than ever."

http://www.ableton.com/

Atari Pokey .synth Module

via Skrasoft Dev Blog via Mr. Array in the comments of this post. You can find some videos of the Pokey by littlescale here.

Pokey and Moog

D/A A/D - toronto

D/A A/D - toronto from Steve Benesko on Vimeo.
"D/A A/D from halifax performing modular set at Rear View Mirror in Kensington Market
Sun Mar 22 2009"

"top row (left to right):
Plan B M15, Plan B elf LFO, Make Noise ModDemod, Doepfer CV Source, Doepfer Waveform Processor, Doepfer LFO2, Doepfer Sequential Switch, Plan B M10, Doepfer Quad LFO

bottom row (left to right):
Doepfer Quadrature LFO, Make Noise QMMG, Bananalouge VCS, Doepfer Noise/Random, Plan B Leveler, AS MX61, Doepfer Vactrol LPG."

Moog Modular in Second Life

Moog Modular sous l'eau from deb76 on Vimeo.
"J'avais déjà essayé le Moog Modular sur Seconde Life et ça m'avait bien plus comme dans la vraie vie. Depuis, j'écumais les différents magasins de musique virtuel pour en trouver un. C'est fait depuis hier mardi, j'en ai trouvé un très beau. J'ai même investi dans un orgue hammond ainsi qu'un très beau piano Steinway. Et je ne parle pas des guitares.
En attendant quelque chose de plus construit, une petite démo sous l'eau avec ce Moog Modular."
Googlish:
"I had already tried the Moog Modular on Second Life and it's more like me in real life. Since then, j'écumais different virtual music stores to find one. This is done since yesterday, Tuesday, I found very beautiful. I even invested in a hammond organ and a beautiful Steinway piano. And I am not talking about guitars.
Pending something more constructed, a small demo under water with the Moog Modular."


Essai sur un Moog Modular sur Seconde Life from deb76 on Vimeo.
"First mounting Second Life. I like to find sites where you can try visual instruments, discover their potential for animation, gestures being played.
here a test on a virtual Moog Modular. It was a small impromptu much to me and suddenly I nvest in a big Moog Modular in my life.
Of course, the sound was then fitted with a sequence that I made with the Moog Modular V2 Arturia combined with arpeggiator Energy XT."

via Califaudio http://secondlife.com/

Eraser - Bent 2008 Minneapolis

Eraser - Bent 2008 Minneapolis from Derek Sajbel on Vimeo.
"from the upcoming DVD from absurdity.biz's Circuit Bending Documentary Project. Available at the 2009 Bent Festival and soon on the intertubes"

Roland D-50 Bass

YouTube via hvrhd1000u
"Some music from a video project I've been working on recently."
I'm guessing that's a Yamaha S80 on strings.

Musikmesse: Novation 25SL MkII - Frankfurt MusikMesse 2009

YouTube via soundonsoundvideo. "USB MIDI Controller"

Nintendo NES Synth Chip?

Clawjob wrote in wondering if there were any projects out there that use the Nintendo NES sound engine similar to the Midibox SID. So far the majority of what's out there seem to be modded NES systems using the full old case. Anyone know why this might be? The Commodore 64 (C64) SID chip has been used in the Electron SIDStation, Midibox projects and more. Is there anything like this for the NES? I'm guessing the chip isn't slotted making it difficult to separate from the motherboard, but I honestly haven't looked into it. If anyone knows, feel free to comment. I did a quick scrub on the Nintendo label as well as a search on NES and nothing as dedicated as the ucapps Midibox SID came up.

Thom Yorke & the synthesizer

flickr by georgiosp

full size

"synthesizer" below

Roland SH-201

"artwork by Left Hand Lab"

Elsita guts

flickr by mesak

full size

"4 sound modules + master section. DIN jacks changed to normal plug jacks by Kujanen. Post soviet leathal power & connections also fixed something like closer to EU regulations."

click here for prior posts featuring some shots of the outside.

"Moog" filter

flickr by mesak
(click for more)

full size

"hand made (by "Blue" microphone company?) latvian moog filter copy. has ADSR, ADSR depth, gate in (& cv in hack by Kujanen) VOL, emphasis, reso..."


description for inside shot: "Post soviet leathal power & connections also fixed something like closer to EU regulations."